


Anxiety, Hope

by MCUsic_to_my_ears



Series: BruceWeek2018 [6]
Category: Marvel, Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, Anxiety, Bruce Banner & Tony Stark Friendship, Bruce Banner Feels, Bruce Banner Is a Good Bro, Bruce Banner Week, Gen, Light Angst, The Avengers (2012) Compliant, Tony Stark Is a Good Bro
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-29
Updated: 2018-09-29
Packaged: 2019-07-20 08:53:07
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 450
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16133885
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MCUsic_to_my_ears/pseuds/MCUsic_to_my_ears
Summary: Bruce's thoughts during his first meeting with Tony Stark.***For day six of Bruce Banner Week 2018.Prompt: Anxiety, Hope





	Anxiety, Hope

“He really grows on you, doesn't he?” Bruce asked sarcastically, looking up from the video screen.

Rogers ignored him. Bruce didn't take offense. The Captain and the god of thunder talked strategy for a moment while Bruce listened, wondering how exactly he got into a place in life where Captain America knew his name.

Bruce tossed in a few ideas, the second portal, the identity of Selvig, Loki’s level of sanity, but no one really cared (well, Thor cared about the last one). Bruce could handle that. He was in a room full of big personalities, of gods and spies. He was pretty plain at the best of times.

But he couldn't help himself when they started talking science. It had been so long since someone had asked.

And then: “It's a stabilizing agent.” Some garbled reference to Portland directed to an agent Bruce had briefly met. “Means the portal won't collapse on itself like it did at S.H.I.E.L.D. No hard feelings Point Break, you've got a mean swing. Also, it means the portal can open as wide, and stay open as long, as Loki wants.”

Stark kept pattering on about the Helicarrier controls, but Bruce was frozen.

This was… Stark was everything Bruce could have been.

His heart trembled anxiously.

Rogers' question though, shook Bruce out of his stupor.

“He’s got to heat the cube to a hundred and twenty million Kelvin just to break through the Coulomb barrier.” Bruce didn't direct the words out of his mouth so much as forget to stop them from tumbling out.

Stark turned on him, approval sharp in his eyes. “Unless Selvig has figured out how to stabilize the quantum tunneling effect.”

Bruce felt reality settle into his bones. “Well, if he could do that he could achieve Heavy Ion Fusion at any reactor on the planet.”  
Stark grinned. “Finally, someone who speaks English.”

“Is that what just happened?” Bruce barely heard the Captain over the roaring in his ears at Stark’s gaze.

Stark extended his hand. Bruce blinked before complying.

“It's good to meet you, Dr. Banner. Your work on anti-electron collisions is unparalleled.” Stark smirked a little. “And I'm a huge fan of the way you lose control and turn into an enormous green rage monster.”

Bruce stared at Stark. Tony. “Thanks.”

The director swooped in, startling Bruce once again. “Banner is only here to track the cube. I was hoping you might join him.”

The Captain and Thor and Fury devolved into banter, but Bruce only felt Tony’s eyes on him.

“Shall we play, Doctor?”

Bruce's heart stopped. “This way, Sir.”

Bruce was the control group, the standard. Tony was everything Bruce could be.

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks to my older sister who beta'd this, but does not have an AO3 account!


End file.
